Brazilian racing experienced what may be a once-in-a lifetime event on April 7, 2024. On that date, the female-line descendants of a single mare—one alive within living memory—supplied the winners of Triple Crown races for colts and fillies on the same date. The mare is Court Lady, and in the Grande Prêmio Cruzeiro do Sul (Brazilian Derby, BRZ-G1) at Gávea, her great-grandson Underpants powered home in front. Later on the same card, Court Lady’s fifth-generation descendant Uni Te came home first in the Grande Prêmio Zélia Gonzaga Peixoto de Castro, the third leg of Gávea’s Triple Crown series for fillies.
Foaled in Brazil in 1982, Court Lady was sired by 1967 Prix Jean Prat winner Locris, a three-time champion sire in Brazil. Her dam, the Irish-bred Redbrick, is a daughter of 1957 English champion 3-year-old male Crepello (a Derby Stakes winner) out of the winner Rosambre (by two-time French champion Sicambre), thus, represented a cross of miler speed over some stout strains.
A late developer, Court Lady was an excellent race mare in her own right once she got rolling, winning the 1988 Grande Premio Organização Sulamericana de Fomento ao Puro Sangue de Corrida (BRZ-G1) and six other Group stakes at distances from 1600 to 2000 meters (about 1 to 1¼ miles). She proved even better as a broodmare, her produce including 1995 Grande Prêmio Diana (Cidade Jardim) (BRZ-G1) winner Onefortheroad (by Ghadeer), 2008 Gran Premio Montevideo (ARG-G1) winner Runforthedoe (by Our Emblem), 1994 Grande Prêmio João Cicilo Ferraz (BRZ-G2) winner New Rochelle (by Ghadeer), and multiple Grade 2 winner Molengao (by Royal Academy). Court Lady also produced Route Sixty Six (by Ghadeer), dam of 2008 Santa Maria Handicap (USA-G1) winner Double Trouble (by Wild Event); Parsonage (by Falcon Jet), dam of Brazilian listed stakes winner Manau (by Royal Academy); and Jolie Regina (by Roi Normand), dam of Brazilian listed stakes winner Segura Piao (by Our Emblem).
Onefortheroad was not only the best race mare produced by her dam but the best broodmare as well. Her produce record includes 2008/09 Brazilian Horse of the Year Flymetothemoon, 2007 Grande Prêmio Diana (Cidade Jardim) (BRZ-G1) winner Eissoai, and 2002/03 Brazilian champion 2-year-old male Ay Caramba, all by five-time Brazilian champion sire Roi Normand. She is also the dam of Bye Bye Caroline (by Royal Academy), in turn the dam of 2020/21 Brazilian champion older male Pimper’s Paradise (by Put It Back) and 2013 Grande Prêmio João Borges Filho (BRZ-G2) winner I Say You Stay (by Northern Afleet). Adding to Onefortheroad’s honors, her Roi Normand daughter Chere Gigi is the dam of 2016 Grande Prêmio Margarida Polak Lara (BRZ-G1) winner Nostalgie (by Fluke) and 2018 Grande Premio Adayr Eiras de Araujo (BRZ-G3) winner Platine (by Wild Event), while her Wild Event daughter I’m a Lady is the dam of 2020 Grande Prêmio Roberto e Nelson Grimaldi Seabra (BRZ-G1) winner Perigoosa (by Public Purse). Finally, Onefortheroad is the dam of Kissingafool (by Elusive Quality), dam of Underpants.
With such a slew of top runners being produced by Onefortheroad and her later daughters, one could be forgiven for overlooking the mare’s first foal, a 1999 filly sired by 1995 Prix Conseil de Paris (FR-G2) winner De Quest (by Rainbow Quest). Named Valley Road, this filly was almost embarrassingly ordinary, failing to place in her only start and achieving nothing of immediate note as a broodmare. Her reputation has now been redeemed, first by her daughter Isa Mommy (by Wild Event), dam of 2023 Grande Premio Doutor Frontin (BRZ-G2) winner Callejero (by Agnes Gold), and second by her Roi Normand daughter Forty Carrots, whose Group 1-placed daughter Mud Pie (by Wild Event) produced Uni Te to a cover by Verrazano.
Given that Onefortheroad has a slew of beautifully-bred daughters, granddaughters, and great-granddaughters active in the paddocks, many of them already proven producers, it seems only a matter of time before more high-class runners come along to embellish the reputation of this branch of Court Lady’s family—nor is it impossible that a branch descended from one of Court Lady’s other daughters will add luster to this rising matriarch’s name. As for Underpants and Uni Te, it needs no crystal ball to predict that they will continue to compete at the top level of Brazilian racing, continuing to burnish the reputation of a mare who was a great lady in every way.
Foaled in Brazil in 1982, Court Lady was sired by 1967 Prix Jean Prat winner Locris, a three-time champion sire in Brazil. Her dam, the Irish-bred Redbrick, is a daughter of 1957 English champion 3-year-old male Crepello (a Derby Stakes winner) out of the winner Rosambre (by two-time French champion Sicambre), thus, represented a cross of miler speed over some stout strains.
A late developer, Court Lady was an excellent race mare in her own right once she got rolling, winning the 1988 Grande Premio Organização Sulamericana de Fomento ao Puro Sangue de Corrida (BRZ-G1) and six other Group stakes at distances from 1600 to 2000 meters (about 1 to 1¼ miles). She proved even better as a broodmare, her produce including 1995 Grande Prêmio Diana (Cidade Jardim) (BRZ-G1) winner Onefortheroad (by Ghadeer), 2008 Gran Premio Montevideo (ARG-G1) winner Runforthedoe (by Our Emblem), 1994 Grande Prêmio João Cicilo Ferraz (BRZ-G2) winner New Rochelle (by Ghadeer), and multiple Grade 2 winner Molengao (by Royal Academy). Court Lady also produced Route Sixty Six (by Ghadeer), dam of 2008 Santa Maria Handicap (USA-G1) winner Double Trouble (by Wild Event); Parsonage (by Falcon Jet), dam of Brazilian listed stakes winner Manau (by Royal Academy); and Jolie Regina (by Roi Normand), dam of Brazilian listed stakes winner Segura Piao (by Our Emblem).
Onefortheroad was not only the best race mare produced by her dam but the best broodmare as well. Her produce record includes 2008/09 Brazilian Horse of the Year Flymetothemoon, 2007 Grande Prêmio Diana (Cidade Jardim) (BRZ-G1) winner Eissoai, and 2002/03 Brazilian champion 2-year-old male Ay Caramba, all by five-time Brazilian champion sire Roi Normand. She is also the dam of Bye Bye Caroline (by Royal Academy), in turn the dam of 2020/21 Brazilian champion older male Pimper’s Paradise (by Put It Back) and 2013 Grande Prêmio João Borges Filho (BRZ-G2) winner I Say You Stay (by Northern Afleet). Adding to Onefortheroad’s honors, her Roi Normand daughter Chere Gigi is the dam of 2016 Grande Prêmio Margarida Polak Lara (BRZ-G1) winner Nostalgie (by Fluke) and 2018 Grande Premio Adayr Eiras de Araujo (BRZ-G3) winner Platine (by Wild Event), while her Wild Event daughter I’m a Lady is the dam of 2020 Grande Prêmio Roberto e Nelson Grimaldi Seabra (BRZ-G1) winner Perigoosa (by Public Purse). Finally, Onefortheroad is the dam of Kissingafool (by Elusive Quality), dam of Underpants.
With such a slew of top runners being produced by Onefortheroad and her later daughters, one could be forgiven for overlooking the mare’s first foal, a 1999 filly sired by 1995 Prix Conseil de Paris (FR-G2) winner De Quest (by Rainbow Quest). Named Valley Road, this filly was almost embarrassingly ordinary, failing to place in her only start and achieving nothing of immediate note as a broodmare. Her reputation has now been redeemed, first by her daughter Isa Mommy (by Wild Event), dam of 2023 Grande Premio Doutor Frontin (BRZ-G2) winner Callejero (by Agnes Gold), and second by her Roi Normand daughter Forty Carrots, whose Group 1-placed daughter Mud Pie (by Wild Event) produced Uni Te to a cover by Verrazano.
Given that Onefortheroad has a slew of beautifully-bred daughters, granddaughters, and great-granddaughters active in the paddocks, many of them already proven producers, it seems only a matter of time before more high-class runners come along to embellish the reputation of this branch of Court Lady’s family—nor is it impossible that a branch descended from one of Court Lady’s other daughters will add luster to this rising matriarch’s name. As for Underpants and Uni Te, it needs no crystal ball to predict that they will continue to compete at the top level of Brazilian racing, continuing to burnish the reputation of a mare who was a great lady in every way.
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